SS wizardry makes up for ‘weak’ stick

Credit: Matt West

GLOVE STORY: Red Sox third baseman Jose Iglesias catches a bunt off the bat of J.B. Shuck for an out in the seventh inning of a 10-5 rout of the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park on Sunday, June 9, 2013.

The knee-jerk analysis of Jose Iglesias before he became a .450 hitter was that he belonged at shortstop regardless of what he did offensively. While that’s not entirely accurate, it may not be far from the truth.

One of the great statistical breakthroughs of the last five years has been the advance in interpreting defensive data, and the latest numbers make a strong case for Iglesias remaining in the lineup with some regularity once third baseman Will Middlebrooks returns from the disabled list.

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